GPInterview: Rupert Elder | Shoe-In for a Bracelet?

Season 7 EPT Sanremo winner Rupert Elder (GPI#437) may  very well be one of the most obvious choices when selecting favourites to win a bracelet this summer at the World Series of Poker.

Here is the checklist to the perfect formula:  1) Major event winner? Check! – 2) Tons of live tournament action under the belt? Check! – 3) Survived a monster-field tournament to win? Check! – 4) Come into the World Series of Poker while riding a hot streak? Check!

Plus, when you live a house full of tournament poker wizards, chances are, chances are certainly on your side!

Rupert was kind enough to take some time out of his crazy WSOP schedule to speak with me:

The WSOP is just now underway, what’s the plan for you this summer?

Plan for the summer is to play a load of NLHE events and try to win one. Failing that, have a good time and get some sun!

So far, so good for you in 2013. Two side event wins at the Aussie Millions and at EPT Berlin, talk to me about those two victories?

Yeah I was really happy with the $1k win in Australia. I was out there for 3 months playing both the Aussie Millions and the WSOP APAC so it was fantastic to get a result right off the bat. The two results in the turbos were nice too, but there is far more luck in them

Few players can claim to have survived a monster field in a 1K event and come out the big winner – you can. Can your experience at the Aussie Millions help guide you through monster field small buy-in events here at the WSOP or is it simply a different set of rules here?

The Aussie $1k was very simliar to the WSOP in terms of speed. I actually prefer the WSOP structure as the clock is slightly longer and you start with less chips so you can sort of get it over with if you run bad at the start (or play bad!). The type of players that play are very similar though

Your win in Berlin came about a month ago. Do you feel it’s important to come into the WSOP on a high or does that even matter to you given how the WSOP is so different than any other tournament series on the calendar?

Confidence is definitely very important. After I won San Remo (EPT Sanremo, Season 7) I was definitely a lot more self-assured in my game and I had a couple of deep WSOP runs that year (and a whole lot partying). Hopefully I can get the job done this year, the last 6 months I have worked really hard on my game off the table but the last month or so I have been slacking in that department so I’m trying to get back on track

You are close to a few other great poker players on the circuit, how important to you to separate your poker life from your social life – or are you all poker, all the time?


Most of my friends are to do with poker. It’s a bit sad sometimes but I don’t mind it too much. I’ve been branching out a bit lately as I’m looking more to move onto new hobbies and it’s always nice to meet new people

I’m putting you on the spot Two of your good friends on the circuit are Dominik Nitsche and David Vamplew. If I only have room for one of you three on my FPM Fantasy Poker Team for an upcoming event, who am I adding, and why?











In my opinion Dominik is a fair bit ahead of both of us. His preflop game is currently one of the best and he can handle himself postflop too as well as all the ordinary tournament considerations. The only thing I have going for me is that I will probably degen it up in a couple of extra mixed game events!

We thank the always-enterataining Rupert Elder for his time – you can follow him on Twitter @ruperte and be sure to check out his blog over at ruperelder.com … we’re hoping he’ll post something again real soon – no pressure, Rupert!

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